Pumpkin Brown Butter Madeleines

Binge watching Emily in Paris has left us craving some delicate French food, and what better than some gorgeous Madeleines? If the beautiful shell shape doesn’t have you curious already, then the brown butter will do the trick! Brown butter is such an exquisite flavour that enhances the depth of taste in a dish, and perfectly rounds everything it combines with. It’s delicate but deep, nutty and elegant. It’s the kind of thing that poetry is written about, and I wish I was better with words to do it enough justice. Paired with the seasonal favourite, pumpkin, and with a nice hit of spice, these Madeleines will take your tea time snack to a whole other platform!

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Ingredients

  • 100g unsalted butter

  • 60g white spelt flour

  • 40g buckwheat flour

  • 25g ground almonds

  • 1/2 tsp baking powder

  • 1/4 tsp baking soda

  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger

  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg powder

  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves

  • 1/8 tsp ground allspice

  • Pinch of salt

  • 2 eggs

  • 60g soft light brown sugar

  • 40g honey

  • 1 tsp vanilla essence

  • 1/2 cup pumpkin purée

For the chocolate pecan coating

  • 90g dark chocolate

  • 10-12 pecan nuts, roughly crushed

Method of Preparation

  1. To make the brown butter, cut the butter into even sized cubes and place in a medium saucepan over low heat. Make sure the saucepan is of a contrasting colour so as to be able to see the colour change. Once the butter melts completely, the milk solids will begin to separate. Keep a close watch, and gently stir at even intervals. The butter will begin to foam again, and change colour to a nutty brown. Immediately turn off the heat and transfer to another bowl, to stop the cooking process, and cool.

  2. Sift together the white spelt flour + buckwheat flour + ground almonds + baking powder + baking soda + cinnamon + ginger + nutmeg + cloves + allspice + salt, and set aside.

  3. Using a handheld mixer, whisk the eggs till they become creamy. Add the soft light brown sugar + honey, and whisk for ~7 minutes. Add the vanilla essence + pumpkin purée and whisk again till incorporated. Using a spatula, fold in the flour mix 1/3rd at a time. Then fold in the butter, 1/3rd at a time. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

  4. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C. Brush a Madeleine tray with butter, and freeze for ~30 minutes.

  5. Remove the Madeleine batter from the fridge and allow it to sit for 10-15 minutes. Remove the prepared + cold Madeleine tray from the freezer. Spoon ~3/4 tbsp batter into each groove of the tray. Return to the freezer for 10 minutes. Remove from the freezer and place in the hot oven. Bake for 12-13 minutes, till the sides are slightly brown, and you can see a hump in the middle. Remove from the oven, cool in the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

  6. Melt the chocolate in a double-boiler. Dip the cooled Madeleines at an angle to coat one side and place on a parchment lined tray. Sprinkle with the crushed pecans. Place in the refrigerator to cool for ~30 minutes.

  7. Serve alongside a hot cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate!